Dick Allen

This is correct. Guys this productive and this young are rarely available in major league free agency. If they have a wad to blow, this is the time. But their other circumstances just don't line up with it being successful.

A. I doubt they will offer as much as some teams who will be more desirable due to location and current team status. B. Even if their offer is somehow very similar, due to the fact that they suck, and Machado for one seems to really prefer the east coast, I think he says no thanks. In other words, they are going to have to blow the Phillies', Yankees', whoever else's offer away. Even the Marlins who could be interested. If he is going to play for a team who sucks, might as well be in his hometown.

Unfortunately, that is probably where this is headed. It will leak the presentation was great and it was tempting, and the team is going to be great, but..........just like with Tanaka. Just like with Torrii Hunter... It is hard to sign these guys in the White Sox current state unless you drastically outbid everyone else. That's how the Angels got Pujols, the Rangers got ARod and Seattle got Cano. Does anyone really think the White Sox will drastically outbid everyone for Machado?

Not many. That is why it is not being illogical to think a team that has never even given a $70 million contract, and doesn't have a history of being much of a contender recently, even when trying, will not win this bidding. There isn't a difference between coming in second and coming in last bidding for these guys.

To say the White Sox won’t be signing someone to a $300 million + contract is not a comment void of logic or reasoning at all. It is almost 5 times more than they have ever spend on a free agent. One of the guys desperately wants to play on the east coast where there is a team with a blank check who wants him. The other guy is represented by Scott Boras, a guy the White Sox have historically not had a really good relationship. The team is also currently awful, and although plays in the 3rd largest market, still has a red headed stepchild existence.

Hahn didn’t say anything different than he has said the past year or so.

There are going to be some disappointed posters when they eventually find out the Sox had virtually no shot at Harper or Machado. The one hope is that the Phillies sign Harper quickly, because if they miss on him, Machado is going to get even more from them, and it's the east coast, where he wants to be, and you can actually see light at the end of their tunnel. Some even think the Phillies will sign both. That seems a bit crazy to me, but signing one of them may keep the price they would pay for the other down a little bit.

Can’t spend $1 if all you have is $0.50.

Texas had to pay the option and teams probably don't want to pay Smyly $7 million. Cubs netted adding $13 million. Wating could have cost more. Not picking up the option might have cost more and more years. It could be anything. I hope it means they are at their limit as they do have several players they will soon have to pay. I will say Theo is being Whie Soxian with how many things are going to have to not age or get hurt in his 2019 rotation.

One reason why they had to do that could be the possibility of adding one of these dopes to their payroll. I hope it is because they are tapped. Lack of a couple of rounds of playoff games does hurt revenue a bit. If they got him, in Chicago we are all 8 year olds and the Cubs are Disney World and the Sox Santa's Village.

IMO one thing signing Harper would do that even winning the World Series really didn't do, would be making them relevant around the league again. Not just road draws, which they have been one of the lowest for years, but even ESPN would remember they exist. I don't exactly know how much that is worth, but I would guess it's at least as much as the difference between what you must guarantee each of the big 2. When they mentioned the rebuild, they also specifically mentioned this free agent class. What a gut punch if they get nobody and somehow the Cubs get Harper or Machado rendering the White Sox Chicago relevance to zero for another decade. Bryce Harper to the Cubs would be an awful development for the Sox.

LMAO

So Jimmy G Buckets will let the T Wolves know whether or not he will play in back to backs. What is up with this guy? How is that. Not a fineable offense? Be a professional.

It was, but on the other hand, if this rebuild was totally reliant on Kopech being an ace, that,s pretty crazy.

IMO, you have Sale, Eaton and Q to trade, you have all of these top 10 or top 11 draft picks as well, anyone is going to hit on someone. I just wonder if these guys will hit on more than the average guy on a message board.

They got their wish. People did get fired. Both with the Cubs and Astros.

I think you are picking and choosing here. I don’t think his hairstyle thing was meant to be racist at all. There was a similar comment by a mod during the playoffs and there was no racist reaction.

I just want to see how everyone is with the current status of the rebuild. It seems most were on board when it commenced. Anyone like me, seeing some huge issues? it seems most assumed or hoped a rebuild would make the Sox like the Astros or Cubs. Probably the 2 best case scenarios of a total rebuild. But even those teams have made some mistakes. Houston released JD Matinez and passed on Kris Bryant. They also traded Hader to Milwaukee. The Cubs seemed locked into some bad contracts after winning once. They now seem to be taking on Father Time banking on Hamels and Lester at least for 2019. But even with all those missteps, they will be right there again and again. This rebuild has a pitcher who would be have been an odds on favorite for TJ surgery in Vegas, wind up having to have the surgery, and the consensus is, it pushes the entire rebuild back a year. Moncada struggled which in and of itself probably isn’t shocking, but shouldn’t we be at a point where a guy either ranked 1 or 2 should be showing a bit more consistency? Tim Anderson improved in the field and walked several times in April, then no better, maybe even worse offensively than he has ever been. Shouldn’t the lack of progress be concerning? Gio didn’t exactly look like a top prospect on the mound. Lopez definitely had some really good moments, but he even admits to losing focus, and his peripherals have to be a concern. Alec Hansen was awful. Zack Collins was a guy Hostetler said he would have picked 1-1. While he appears he will be a big leaguer, he certainly doesn’t look like so,Rome you would pick first overall. The White Sox spent a lot of cash on Luis Robert. His next professional homer in the US will be his first. He seems to spend more time with trainers than on the field. I am not suggesting he is a bust. I know it is way too soon for that, but the performance has to be a bit concerning. Jake Burgers injuries aren’t the White Sox fault, but he is a guy that carries some extra weight and isn’t so athletic. The injures may make him a wasted pick. Burdi has some diminished velocity. If it’s permanent, he is probably not a guy any better than the crap they have been picking up on waivers. It is possible he was another wasted pick. Guys like Palka, and Delmonico are no reasons to get excited about a rebuild. Cease looks great. Hopefully it will continue, although a past TJ so early scares me he will eventually need another. Eloy is Eloy, but he will have the weight of the White Sox fan base on his shoulders in 2019. Any kind of struggle, and a lot of the people who are loving the rebuild right now may change their mind. Dunning was really doing well, although that is another questionable elbow. Basabe had a far better 2018 than 2017. There just doesn’t seem to be anyone except Eloy close to can’t miss. I would think with as many top 10 draft picks as they have had, as many prospects as they acquired for their good players, as many times as we read Hahn fleeced another team, there should be at least a couple more. Other than perhaps winning a few more games, what has to happen in the next year to keep your faith in the rebuild, KW and RH, and Ricky and his coaches? If they win 70 games, what are the excuses you would buy to keep the faith the right guys are in place, and the White Sox are just a little bit away from dominating the AL Central?

I will say for how each player performed, and with many, how they were supposed to perform or improve, it is hard to imagine how everyone did a satisfactory job. I get they are in the middle of a rebuild, but there has to be some sense of urgency. Another sideways year of developing in 2019 could bring this entire rebuild down. To not have the best you can have in place to hopefully help them get better would be a mistake.

So Theo told Texas either take Smyly for $7 mill or pay Hamels $6 mill and the Cubs will re sign him for thedifference between that and his option.

Bogaerts

Technically he would make it 2. Was he even on the 40 man for most of the season? But 5 years in between titles and they basically flipped their entire roster and fired a GM, manager, coaches. The correct color Sox need years of top 5 picks, 3 stars signed cheaply to bring back 10 prospects, and still need all that time plus, if anyone should get hurt just to be competitive. It is amazing to me the pass this front office and staff is getting when the development isn't nearly what was anticipated. I wasn't expecting a playoff team. I knew the team would suck. But this isn't a typical 100 loss team. They play almost 25 % of their schedule vs. Detroit and KC and still lost 100. If the Orioles and White Eox switched places and schedules, they may be a 110 loss team, waiting for something to go right I also know for draft purposes losing isn't necessarily bad, but it does show this team and organization have a very long way to go. Maybe everything starts coming together in 2019. I won't be holding my breath.

That is correct, but if a second round pick is the reason a team wouldn’t sign Harper, that second round pick better be a really good player. Most don’t make it at all, let alone be really good.

When was the last time the White Sox or any other team went through a season with 5 healthy starters? Gio had an ERA over 6.00, and a TJ in his past. Lopez’s peripherals left a lot to be desired. Rodon has a shoulder surgery, Kopech had TJ, Cease has a TJ in his history. To think the 2020 White Sox have no room in their rotation is laughable.

I am sure this job pays well. Keeping good people costs money. I am sure the White Sox are well aware they can get people cheap initially to get their foot in the door, but eventually reality hits and money is required to live life. So they wouldn’t keep people long if they didn’t pay.